DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 12-15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yang et al. CN 104964418 (see attached translation).
Regarding claim 1, Yang teaches a humidifier comprising (See Figures 4 and 5):
a) A case (100+200) with an intake opening as inlet grid 2114 (page 7, 4th paragraph);
b) A blower fan 280 disposed inside the case (page 7, 2nd paragraph);
c) A discharge opening as wind column 214 positioned downstream from the fan 280 (Figure 5, page 7, 4th paragraph);
d) A humidification assembly as atomizer 220 that generates humid mist (page 7, 4th paragraph) where it is sent through a channel to the outlet 151 (page 11, 5th paragraph). The humidification assembly 220 is disposed between the fan 280 and the discharge outlet 214 where water is taken into the assembly 220 to produce mist which exits through discharge outlet 214 to outlet 151 to the atmosphere (in Figures 5 and 6, the top part of the atomizer 216 is at the top of section 212 which holds the rest of the components including fan 280 beneath, also see page 10, 3rd paragraph); and
e) An impactor as air inlet baffles 1131 and 1132 that is disposed between the outlet 214 and outlet 151 to which the mist discharged through the outlet is admitted (page 12, 5th paragraph).
Regarding claim 2, the baffles 1131 and 1132 are considered the claimed impactor is contacted by the mist leaving the assembly 220 before leaving through the discharge outlet 214 (column 12 6th paragraph).
Regarding claim 12, Yang teaches a water reservoir 110 for storing water for the humidification assembly, and a humidification flow path 214 with plate piece 2312 in Figure 5 formed between the outlet 151 and the discharge opening, surrounding the reservoir. The impactor baffles 1131 and 1132 are disposed in the humidification flow path and surround the bottom of the water reservoir (page 12, 4th paragraph).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, the reservoir is a container for the storing water which includes a bucket area to hold the water in 110 and is fitted above the impactors (which are located around the top of shell 212). The reservoir includes guide rims where 141 that protrude toward the humidification flow path and include the impactors 1131 above the rim in Figure 12.
Regarding claim 15, Yang teaches a lower plate 150 above the outlet 151 that comprises a vertical hole that extends through the lower plate and in a circumferential direction of the lower plate.
Regarding claim 20, Yang teaches a humidifier comprising (See Figures 4 and 5):
a) A case (110+200) with an intake opening as inlet grid 2114 (page 7, 4th paragraph);
b) A fan 280 disposed inside the case (page 7, 2nd paragraph);
c) A discharge opening as wind column 214 positioned downstream from the fan 280 (Figure 5);
d) A water reservoir 110 disposed in the case, which may be pulled out and has an internal space for water (page 6, 8th paragraph);
d) A humidification assembly as atomizer 220 that takes in water from the reservoir 110 and generates humid mist where it is sent through a channel to the outlet 151 (page 7, 4th paragraph);
e) A humidification flow path that includes water passage 1412 which connects the humidification assembly 220 to the discharge outlet column 214 where the opening is surrounded by the annual water tank (page 6, 4th paragraph, and page 10, 4th-6th paragraphs); and
f) An impactor as air inlet baffles 1131 and 1132 (Figure 12) that is disposed between the discharge outlet 214 and outlet 151 to which the mist discharged through the outlet is admitted (page 12, 5th paragraph).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-11 and 16-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The subject matter of claims 3-11 and 16-18 further describe the impactor having structural features key to the invention that is not described or suggested in the prior art as a whole. This includes a lower body including a lower plate disposed above the outlet and a lower hole formed through the lower plate; and an upper body including an upper plate disposed above the lower body and an upper hole vertically formed through the upper plate.
The Examiner would like to cite Bagwell US Patent 5,396,884 that teaches an impactor baffle structure for a humidifier that disperses mist. However, even if Bagwell was combined with Yang, the combination would not address a lower body including a lower plate disposed above the outlet and a lower hole formed through the lower plate; and an upper body including an upper plate disposed above the lower body and an upper hole vertically formed through the upper plate.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHARON PREGLER whose telephone number is (571)270-5051. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, In Suk Bullock can be reached at (571) 272-5954. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SHARON PREGLER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1772